Google Glass could allow users to control household appliances like their coffee machine and garage doors

Users of Google Glass could one day control household appliances such as their TV, coffee maker, light switches and garage door according to a new patent filed.

Published today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Google have applied for the rights to an application called 'Wearable Computer with Superimposed Controls and Instructions Device'.

Straight out of science-fiction predictions of what future homes will be like, the Google Glass would be able to present a virtual control panel - allowing the wearer to interact and make their coffee brew and their lights dim.

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The patent describes how the Google Glass will use sensors such as Bluetooth or QR codes set up around the house which will allow the computer inside the device to detect them and project an augmented reality user interface onto them.

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'As one example, a virtual control interface for controlling a refrigerator (such as adjusting a temperature set-point) may be superimposed upon the refrigerator surface,' states the patent.

Open Seasame: These diagrams from Google's recent patent show what household items could be made more convenient by Google Glass

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'In order to control the target device, the wearer may attempt to touch the virtual control interface at the apparent distance of the virtual control interface.

'For example, the wearer may touch a location on the refrigerator where a virtual button in the virtual control interface appears. The wearable computing device may recognize this touching motion as a control instruction and transmit the control instruction to the target device.'

Outside of the house, the technology could be used to send instructions to open or close a garage door as you approach either on foot or from your car.

And upon entering, the glasses would instuct the doors to close.

'In response to identifying the garage door and determining that it is in a closed state, the wearable computing device may display a virtual control interface that is superimposed over the garage door,' the patent states.

The system would work by picking up the interface of the appliance - rather like a computer picks up WiFi - and then the superimposed controls would come down so the wearer could what options are available.

However, whether this is workable - and affordable - technology, or just another of thousands of patents the tech-giant takes out will remain to be seen.